Complaints

British Sign Language: You can view an outline of the council's general complaints procedure by clicking the BSL link on the right. Note that the procedure for complaining about adult social services is slightly different. You can view details of that procedure in BSL by clicking the Complaints - Children's and Adult Social Services link on the left.

The council wants to provide you with high quality services and so complaints are treated very seriously.

If you are unhappy about a particular service or want to make a suggestion, you should first talk to the relevant local office or staff in that department. If you need assistance with the number or relevant department please call Contact Islington on 020 7527 2000 and they will re-direct you. The relevant department will try to sort out the problem without you having to make a complaint

If you are not happy with the response you get, then you may want to complain online.

If you want to make a complaint specifically about our website, you should contact the Webteam by using the General Enquiries form.

If you wish to make a complaint about a councillor or co-opted member, contact the Standards Committee.

For more information, download a copy of the complaints leaflet at the bottom of this page.

The Three-stage Complaints Procedure

Please note: The procedure for complaints about adult social services and children's services is different from the council’s general complaints procedure. Click the link on the left for details, and also to view British Sign Language clips detailing the adult social services complaints procedure.

There are also different legal procedures for appeals over parking tickets, housing and council tax benefit decisions, planning applications, decisions on homelessness applications, school admissions and exclusions and special education needs assessments. If your complaint is covered by one of these areas, please call the relevant departmental complaints officer, and they will let you know what to do next.

Stage 1

The first stage is to complain to the local service manager of the department concerned. The department will acknowledge your complaint within three working days and a full written reply will normally be sent within ten working days.

Stage 2

If you are not satisfied with the manager’s investigation, you can contact the Department’s Complaints Officer. They will send you an acknowledgement within three working days and will consider whether your complaint should be looked at again. If your complaint is to be investigated again a full written reply will normally be sent to you within ten working days. Pages seven and eight of the complaints leaflet lists the Departmental Complaints Officers.

Stage 3

If you believe your complaint has not been dealt with properly at Stage 2 of the complaints process, you can appeal to the:

Corporate Customer Care Unit
Town Hall
Upper Street
N1 2UD
Email: central.complaints@islington.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7527 3007

If you need an interpreter or sign language interpreter, this can be arranged. You need to allow at least five working days for this.

Contacting the Local Government Ombudsman

If you have exhausted the council's complaints procedure, and you feel that your complaint has not been properly handled, you may contact the Local Government Ombudsmen.

The Local Government Ombudsmen is an independent body that investigates complaints against local authorities. It investigates most council matters including housing, planning, education, social services, consumer protection, drainage and council tax.

Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH
Phone (Mon-Fri 8.30am to 5pm) : 0845 602 1983
Text : 0762 4804323
email: advice@lgo.org